Fire Up My Heart
by Summer Review
Summary: After a fire that killed his family, Edward, must move in with a new family and attend a new school. He's distant and wants to be alone. Can meeting Bella Swan be the perfect dose of medicine he needs? ExB/AU Entry for The Summer Review
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** After a fire that killed his family, Edward, marked with multiple burns must move in with a new family and attend a new school. He's distant and wants to be alone. Can meeting Bella Swan be the perfect dose of medicine he needs? Or is the truth about her going to be too much? ExB/AU

* * *

_The flames licked at my skin, catching fire and burning. It was worse than anything else I'd ever felt. How could I describe it? Maybe I could say it was like cooking your hand over a fire, but I've never done that. So, I guess I can't really describe it. All I can say is that it was the ultimate pain._

_"Stop, drop, and roll!" That's all I could hear as the fire burned my skin and continued to go deeper. However, I was immobilized. I couldn't move. I was frozen._

_In the background, I could hear screams. Painful, horrid screams. Honestly, when I compared my pain to their screams, their screams won out. This made me cry. The tears never made it down my cheeks. They evaporated easily._

_Somehow, the screams made me move toward the kitchen where they were coming from. When I looked in, I saw three figures writhing on the ground, screaming so hard as the fire consumed them. Even though I couldn't make out the faces, I knew who they were._

_They were my family._

**((-))**

I sit up quickly, sweat pouring down my face and soaking the clothes I wear. The dreams are coming back. Marvelous.

With a slight cough, I stood up and avoided looking in the mirror my new family has placed in my new bedroom. I don't want to see my reflection. I know what I would see if I did.

I'd see all the burns left evidence of the fire that happened at my old house and killed my old family.

That's what everything was now. It was either new or old.

Even my psyche, though I'm not sure how sane that is. I probably shouldn't test it either.

In simple and quick movements, I put on a t-shirt and jeans, making sure my burns are seen. I want people to stay away from me, and I'm hoping that seeing my burns will tell them to stay away.

With a toss of my longish bronze mess of hair, I grab my new backpack and walk out of my new bedroom, down to my new kitchen for a warm new breakfast.

Sometimes, all this new business pisses me off.

When I enter the kitchen, the smell of French toast assaults my senses, and I almost drop dead from the pleasure it brings, but then I see my new family and steel myself.

I probably should loosen up. They seem like really good people, but I don't think I can. I love my old family and they can never be replaced.

My new father folds his newspaper in half, his smile bright as he looks at me. "Hey, Edward. Ready for school?"

"Not really, Mr. Cullen." I sit down in one of the oak chairs at the table, helping myself to some French toast and a cup of coffee.

"Carlisle, please. And why not?" He glances down at the backpack I have propped against my chair and back to my face. "It looks like you are."

"Well, if you were judging by materials, then of course I'm ready. But if you were judging mentally, then I'm not."

Carlisle nods. "Ah, yes. I understand. I remember starting at a new school when I was younger. I was really nervous, but, after getting to know everybody, it all turned out alright."

"There is a difference between your past experience and what I'm facing now," I mumble low enough so he doesn't hear me, stuffing a bite of French toast into my mouth.

It already feels like it's going to be a long day.

**((-))**

The bus ride to school feels like quite a hassle. The other students are loud, and the driver was rude. What sickens me about them is the fact about how cliché they really are. You can tell they never have and never will walk through the hell I went through when I was in that fire and lost my family.

I could also feel every eye on each of their tiny rat faces staring at my scarred arms, probably judging whether I was approachable or not. Looking at how they avoid me after we were all off the bus, I'm guessing my plan worked out perfectly.

I'm alone.

**((-))**

It wasn't hard finding the office where I spoke with a woman named Mrs. Cope. She seemed okay, but unresourceful. All she gave me was a map and schedule, letting me out of the office quickly.

I'm glad she fears me.

As I'm walking down the D hallway, staring at my map, I bump into somebody. I quickly straighten myself and the somebody up. When I look into the somebody's face, my breath is stolen away.

What was I seeing? I couldn't be sure. I saw luscious brown locks framing a heart-shaped face, garnet eyes with a hint of gold in them, and skin white as snow. Could that count as an angel?

I shake my head. No. Angels do not exist. If they did, my family would be alive. So, this girl is just a girl. Nothing more, nothing less.

But when she speaks, the thought of her being an angel comes back.

"Oops. I'm sorry. You okay? I'm Bella Swan, by the way. You must be the new guy, Edward Cullen."

_New guy. Cullen._ Well, those words certainly ruin any special trance I was in.

"Excuse me, but please don't call me the new guy or say my first name with that last name. Cullen isn't my real last name."

"Oh. Well, what is your real last name? I'll call you by it if you like." She smiles a sugary smile at me, making a blush rise to my cheeks a little.

"It's Masen and that's all. You don't have to."

She nods. "Alright." After glancing around a little, Bella turns back to me, seeming happy to be around me. "Want to have lunch with me today?"

I have to think for a few minutes, but then I shrug. "Why not? I don't think I'll have anybody by then." Actually, I want to be alone. But if I were going to eat with someone, she would be my first choice.

"Okay then. See you at lunch." With a small wave, Bella walks past me and into the crowd.

Why do I feel like I know this girl more than I really do?


	2. Chapter 2

During my classes before lunch, all of my new classmates continuously bombarded me. I could see that when I glared most of them got the point that I wanted them to skedaddle. Others, not so much. They just sat on my desk or followed me around, babbling endlessly about different kids, parties, teachers, etcetera, etcetera.

One of these people was named…something. I didn't want to take the amount of space in my brain for her name specially. She was of no interest to me.

When the bell rang for lunch, I ran out of the room and tried to make as much distance as possible from the loud-mouthed girl. However, due to my darting and not watching where I was going, I once again bumped into somebody, and it happened to be the same girl I ran into this morning. Bella Swan.

I felt my cheeks heat up from the embarrassment. Why is it that we have to keep meeting like this? What kind of guy repeatedly almost runs over a girl? Apparently me.

But Bella just looked up and smiled at me. If she was angry, she certainly didn't show it. This confused me. I knew that if somebody ran into me, I'd be seriously pissed off. So, why isn't she?

"It seems we just can't be separated. Can we, Edward?" She smirked.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess not."

"What was it that you were running from?" When I looked at her with a confused expression, she elaborated. "I know you don't know where the cafeteria is, so you weren't dashing to get your lunch first. So, you had be running from something." She then reached up on her tiptoes and got into my face. "So, what were you running from, Edward?"

I jabbed a finger down the hall I had been in before running into Bella. "From this girl who won't shut up and leave me alone."

"Ah. Which one?"

"Well, I'm not sure what her name is. I didn't want to take the time to remember her."

Bella laughed. "I certainly admire that. I wish I could do that. Too bad my memory is too good to forget the names of some people." Bella turned and then looked back at me. "We should get to lunch before all the good seats are taken."

I nodded. As we walked toward what I presumed was the cafeteria, I noticed Bella glance at me curiously. "So, did you want to take the time to remember my name?"

I looked at her, cheeks scarlet. "Yes, I did, Bella."

**((-))**

Just as Bella and I sat down at a table, the girl that was annoying me happened to spot me. When I saw her coming, I began cursing softly under my breath. I wished she would just leave me alone. Why don't my scars scare her?

The girl arrived at the table and looked at Bella with a fake grin. "Hello, Bella," she spat. "How are you doing today?"

"Fine. Thank you, Lauren." Bella just smiled back, but I could tell it was fake compared to the genuine ones she has been giving me.

Lauren turned to me and practically fell into my lap. "Hello tiger, Rawr." She waved her hand, her manicured nails acting as claws.

I began to slowly back away. "Hello."

Bella giggled, and I could feel my embarrassment starting to come back. Why, oh why, did I have to be continuously embarrassed in front of this beautiful girl?

Looking at Lauren's expression, you could tell she was beginning to see that I wanted her to go away, but I knew she wasn't done. She probably never would be. With a huff, Lauren walked away.

I turned to Bella to see her staring after the annoying girl. "I don't like her. Never have since I came to this school last month."

"Oh, so you're new, too?" I would have thought she was originally from this town.

"Yep." I watch as she fingered her pizza, observing as sauce oozed out from under the cheese. "But, even though I'm new, I know everything I need to know about this place."

"What do you have to tell to this newer student here?" I wanted to listen to her talk forever, even if it meant hearing about other people that I couldn't care less about.

"Well, when you look around, all you see is numerous students chatting with each other and so on. But behind all the friendly faces are allies and enemies." Bella glanced at me to make sure I was paying attention, and then she continued. "I mean, it may not seem like it, but there are lines drawn and you must choose a side."

Even though I was puzzled, I wished for her to go on. "Which sides do I have to choose from?"

"My side, Lauren's side, and that side over there." She pointed over to three tables that seemed to be filled with people that don't seem to interact with each other.

"Who's on your side?"

"Just me and that table behind us." She jabbed her thumb behind her and I saw a table filled up with three boys and two girls.

"How about Lauren's side?"

"Basically those three tables that are left." I glanced over at the tables that weren't categorized as Bella's side or the other side.

"Is there a name for the side that isn't yours or Lauren's?"

"Gee, you have a lot of questions, don't you?" She cupped my cheek and smirked. "They do have a name, but they don't know that there are sides." Glancing over at the unnamed side, Bella frowned a little. "Even though I said you had to choose a side, you actually can't. You have already been placed on a side."

"Which one?" I began silently praying that I got Bella's side. I wanted to be with her, not with any other group.

Bella pointed over to the nameless group. "That one."

My face fell, and I knew I looked as upset as she did. "Are you kidding me?" When she shook her head, I began to glare. "Unfair."

"Don't be a baby." Ruffling my hair, she grabbed her tray and stood up. "I advise that you make some friends with the people on that side. Preferably the table with two boys and two girls. Also, make friends with them fast. It's not safe to be a side of your own." She turned around and headed over to the rest of her group. "Bye, Edward."


End file.
